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Joseph Lynn discusses his new documentary film featuring singer Dee Plume

By Naomi Laeuchli
posted May 30, 2013, 18:43

Joseph Lynn discusses his new documentary film featuring singer Dee Plume Joseph Lynn, who has previously discussed his short films �Winnie the Pooh� and �The Good, the Bad and the Ordinary�, now talks about his newest project, a documentary film which follows the singer Dee Plume, as she strikes out on her solo career after spending ten years with a band. Lynn talks about what interested him in documentary filmmaking as well as the reasons he chose Dee Plume for the subject of his film.


What made you interested in making a documentary film?
I'm a big fan of Tim Minchin and he has this documentary called 'Rock'n'Roll Nerd' about his rise to fame in England. I was watching this and thought I would love to be able to document such an art or a talent and try and show the effort that goes into it. Another aspect was the immediacy of documentary, you can't write and you can only vaguely plan, because it's real life, you turn up and film and you have no control of what happens. This meant that I could make a film quicker without having to tediously organize everything.

Can you tell me a bit about the filming process?
Basically Dee would call me up and tell me her plans for the week and I would turn up and film. Just me, a handheld camcorder and a microphone. It was mainly open mic nights as Dee was practicing her new material and it was also quite sporadic and haphazard. It took me a few nights to get used to the atmosphere as open mic (mainly in East London) is quite lively and unpredictable. One night there would be a middle-aged white man rapping about his childhood and the next there would be a man screaming dark poetry whilst incorporating Spice Girl lyrics. Open mic is really therapy for people and so filming sometimes was quite intense. But also I shot some radio interviews and sometimes Dee's friends would all turn up to support her so I managed to get some film of them saying nice things about her. Dee and her friends are all strong characters so you don't have to be filming for long before something entertaining happens.

What was it about the singer Dee Plume that caused you to want to make a film about her?
Dee is a very visual person, you can tell from her music videos or the way she paints images with her lyrics. As a filmmaker working with someone who has a keen eye for aesthetics makes my job easier as often Dee would help me see what's interesting in a shot. Also Dee's music is very fun, even if her song is about staying clear of drugs or personal aspects to her career it is always done with a sense of flamboyancy and excitement. There was also the fact that Dee had spent 10 years in a band and her decision to do some solo work seemed like the perfect time for me to jump in and catch the opportunity of new work being tried and perfected.

Did your impression of Dee Plume change at all as you filmed the documentary?
Not at all. Dee makes sure she comes across as the person she is in all that she does (this short film being no exception) and so when you meet her you realize that she is very genuine and down to earth. Luckily Dee and I come from the same area of Manchester so we very quickly became friendly and the process was less professional and more relaxed which allowed us to work better. My impression of musicians in general has changed as I have realized the effort which goes into performing, every night there is an air of nerves and every night the audience changes. Now that I've witnessed it firsthand I will never underestimate the courage of performers.

What part of the film are you most proud of? And what do you hope people will take away from it?
Well I am actually still filming material as recently Dee has gotten drummers to be involved and the gigs have stepped up a level. So I thought it would be nice to include Dee's single launch which is next Monday the 21st. I am proud that I think I have captured a true essence of a person as well as promote their material in a way that is representative of them. I released a teaser trailer a few weeks ago (watch it here) and all of Dee's fans have been really supportive and complimentary, so I guess I'm proud that Dee's fans like it. I think people will take away the same thing I have in that they will see how difficult it is to make a go of it in this industry as well as enjoying the colorful imagery and the fun pace of the film.